Social Network Sites in Travel and Tourism: Benefits and Limitations

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the most frequently used Social Network Sites (SNSs) in travel and tourism as well as to discuss and summarize their benefits and limitations for the travel and tourism industry. It is particularly useful for the author's students of Management of Travel and Tourism at the Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove who will need the knowledge of SNSs as a prerequisite for being successful in their future profession. First, this study uses the method of literature review which is applied to determine the most popular SNSs in travel and tourism. Then, thus selected SNSs are compared and evaluated. There is a number of SNSs used for the travel and tourism purposes. However, the most popular SNSs are still Facebook and Twitter. As the findings show, the SNSs used for the travel and tourism purposes provide their users with travel information and/or facilitate contacts. Among the benefits belong an easy access to various content. Limitations include lower control over this content.